4 Phases of Building a Team That Embraces Personality and Individual Differences

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"Round up the usual suspects," the gendarme ordered in the famous line from the movie Casablanca. And frequently, that's how executives think when they create teams, committees or task forces.



The boss says or thinks something like: "Let's appoint anyone who might know something about this issue." Or even more likely: "Grab anybody who's got a stake in this thing."



Organizations, of course, love such groups because, when they work, they can improve coordination, help employees feel more involved, and maybe even spur innovation. But when they flop-or, more commonly, just lapse into mediocrity-they can drain an organization of its vitality and leave a legacy of posturing, power struggles and misunderstandings.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-designing-a-group">Designing a Group</h2>



We naively assume any group can automatically be a team. But one of the biggest single reasons that teams misfire is that behavioral differences are ignored. In short, who's selected for the team will likely affect the outcome. For best results, we can't just order an off-the-rack model. We have to design one that'll best do the job.



If, when you <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-ways-leaders-can-build-team-spirit/">create a team</a>, you employ knowledge of the four behavioral types, or behavioral styles, you greatly <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/the-key-to-success-on-a-team-is-connection/">improve the team's chances for success</a>. You need to consider that there are natural allies and antagonists among the styles and also that each style functions best at a different phase in the life cycle of a team.



For example, socializers often see thinkers as overly analytical. Directors might sooner die than turn into dull plodders like the relaters. Thinkers, while often drawn to relaters, have difficulty understanding the socializer's lack of focus or the director's impatience. And relaters only wish everyone was as amiable as they.



So although the potential for conflict is always there, it needn't become the reality. In creating a team, think about whom you are putting on it and monitor how they function during the group's evolution. That way you'll not only make the best possible use of the <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/3-key-qualities-of-a-good-team-player/">strengths of each team member</a>, but you can also help create a whole that's much larger than the sum of the parts.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-the-natural-cycle-of-groups">The Natural Cycle of Groups</h2>



Work groups typically follow a cycle, just as the organizations that spawn them. They face predictable obstacles, rise to the occasion or fail, and as a result either evolve or deteriorate. At every stage in that cycle, each of the various behavioral styles can be a help or a hindrance.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phase-1-finding-focus">Phase 1: Finding Focus</h3>



Any new group at first gropes to find its focus. Members of the group ask, or at least think: 



<ul>
<li>Is this going to be worth the effort? </li>



<li>Is this going to be a useful team that can get things done? </li>



<li>Or is it just another group holding yet more meetings aimed at producing another report that nobody reads?</li>
</ul>



In addition, each member at this point is seeking to define his or her role. They silently ask: 



<ul>
<li>Do I fit in here, or am I an outsider?</li>



<li>Am I going to be an important member of this group with real input, or am I just here for appearances?</li>



<li>Is this going to waste my time?</li>
</ul>



Thinkers and directors can be especially helpful during this first phase. They are both skilled at getting to the heart of matters, though in different ways.



If the challenges the group faces are intellectually complex, the thinker will be in his element. Because they're so good at reasoned analysis of tasks, thinkers can help clarify the mission and give the team focus.



Similarly, if the main hurdle the group faces is more of a conflict—say, a history of discord among members and/or a split over goals—a director likely will shine. In fact, the group may be yearning for a strong leader who can tell the warring members to quit butting heads and either commit or leave. That's a situation ready-made for the director.



In either case, the thinker or director may be able to get the group to psychologically buy into the idea of moving forward together, to convince the team that there's a plan and progress will be possible.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phase-2-facing-the-realities">Phase 2: Facing the Realities</h3>



Although a tough-minded thinker or director may get the group going, this stormy second stage often cries out for the buoyant optimism of the socializers. Their friendly, informal brand of leadership can send out a strong, clear signal that <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-connect-with-your-team/">this group can work together</a> and make things better for everybody.



A people-oriented approach is needed at this stage because not just the team's internal dynamics but also external issues must be addressed here. It's at this point that reality often intrudes. The group may begin to see how difficult its task really is, how little time and resources are available, and how members may need to settle for half a loaf rather than a stunning breakthrough.



All these factors can breed frustration, confusion and disillusionment. This is when it'll be decided if the group tackles the real issues in meaningful ways, or gets mired in its own internal power struggle. That's why Socializers, who are good at smoothing over rough edges and encouraging all to share their thoughts and feelings, can be a key here.



Many groups, of course, never transcend this them-versus-us mindset. They continue to silently debate: 



<ul>
<li>Who's the "top dog?"</li>



<li>Who stands to gain the most and who'll likely come up the loser?</li>
</ul>



Such a team isn't likely to accomplish much. Instead, members will continuously collide with one another, limiting themselves as a team and as individuals.



But if the socializer, with his or her upbeat attitude and people skills, can get the members to quit keeping score, they may yet learn to work together. If the socializer can convince them that who's in charge is less important than who has what know-how and attitudes, the group will have entered the next phase.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phase-3-coming-together">Phase 3: Coming Together</h3>



Cooperation and collaboration become increasingly apparent, and it's now that relaters can give the group a boost. Because they are especially good at coalescing differing views, the relaters help meld individual differences into group progress.



By opening their hearts and heads to one another, the relaters, or others with relater-like behavior, can blend the discordant elements into more of a single melody. The team begins to narrow the gap between what it earlier said it wanted to do and what it's actually doing. There's been a shift of identity, and it's become a true team because members who previously thought in terms of me begin thinking we.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-phase-4-reaching-for-stardom">Phase 4: Reaching for Stardom</h3>



The final stage is more the exception than the rule. But when reached, it means a team really is performing at its best and highest; it's functioning as a whole, not just as a collection of individuals.



Its members enjoy being part of the team and express that fact. They've learned how to work together. Morale is high. The group continually produces quality and quantity output and is effectively self-managing.



In the previous three stages, director-type behavior might have been called for on key decisions. But at this stage, a hands-on, controlling style isn't needed. In fact, once a group has this momentum, such a strong-handed style can be counterproductive and could even torpedo the group's progress. Instead, the team's decisions flow naturally from its deliberations. Differences among its members become a source of strength, not dispute.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-differences-not-deficiencies">Differences, Not Deficiencies</h2>



Love 'em or hate 'em, work groups are here to stay. (Some estimates are that as much as 50 percent to 80 percent of a manager's time, for example, is spent with groups.) But although they can be high-performance vehicles, they can also be high-maintenance, especially in the early stages. Both the team's creator and its members need to carefully watch the process. Only a team that fully understands and savors its members' styles is likely to be genuinely productive.



If members were chosen carefully and if they practice adaptability, the advantages of stylistic diversity can quickly outweigh the group's liabilities. Remember: We're talking about behavioral differences here, not deficiencies.



Working with groups all comes down to suspending judgment, empathizing and trying to play to people's strengths. The result, despite our differences, can be a wonderful synergy.



This article was originally published in June 2008 and has been updated. Photo by Jacob Lund/Shutterstock Adapted from The Platinum Rule: Discover the Four Basic Business Personalities-and How They Can Lead You to Success, by Tony Alessandra, Ph.D., and Michael J. O'Connor, Ph.D. (Warner Books, 1996)

We naively assume any group can automatically be a team. But one of the biggest single reasons that teams misfire is that behavioral differences are ignored.

We naively assume any group can automatically be a team. But one of the biggest single reasons that teams misfire is that behavioral differences are ignored. | SUCCESS

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Building a Team: 4 Phases Embracing Personality & Differences

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Speaker Tony Alessandra is originator of the behavior assessment style tool The Platinum Rule and author of Collaborative Selling and The NEW Art of Managing People.

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Tony Alessandra

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Professional Growth

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Professional Growth | SUCCESS | What Achievers Read

The ability to “read” people is by far one of your most valuable skills in business. The people you interact with each day send you signals, and if you learn what to look and listen for, each person will tell you exactly how to effectively work with him.



Everyone experiences the same basic human needs—results, recognition, regimentation and relationships—with some holding more dominance than others. Depending on the weight placed on each need, <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/how-to-understand-peoples-personality-types">people differ in personality</a>.



So what is there to read?



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/how-to-read-people-like-an-fbi-agent">How to Read People Like an FBI Agent</a></blockquote>



Dozens of signals—verbal, vocal and visuals—tell you when to speed up or slow down, when to focus on the details or when to work on <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/8-traits-of-healthy-relationships" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">building the relationship</a>. But, because people are different, the same technique won’t always work.



<h2 id="h-human-behavior-has-two-dimensions">Human Behavior Has Two Dimensions</h2>



When people act and react—with verbal, vocal and visual actions—in social situations, they exhibit clues to their behavioral style. Identifying that is possible by classifying a person's behavior on two dimensions: openness and directness.



Open vs. Guarded: Openness is the readiness and willingness with which a person outwardly shows emotions or feelings and develops interpersonal relationships.



Others commonly describe open people as being relaxed, warm, responsive, informal and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/john-addison-7-ways-to-be-likeable">personable</a>. They tend to be relationship-oriented, and in conversations with others, they share personal feelings and tell stories and anecdotes. They tend to be flexible about time and base their decisions more on intuition and opinion than on hard facts and data. They also are likely to behave dramatically and to give you immediate nonverbal feedback in conversation.



Guarded individuals, on the other hand, commonly are seen as formal and proper. They tend to be more aloof in their interpersonal relationships. They are more likely to follow the letter of the law and try to base their decisions on cold, hard facts. Guarded people are usually very task-oriented and disciplined about time. As opposed to open people, they hide their personal feelings in the presence of others.



Direct vs. Indirect: Now consider the second dimension—directness. This refers to the amount of control and forcefulness that a person attempts to exercise over situations or other people.



Direct people tend to “come on strong,” take the social initiative and create <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/4-research-backed-ways-to-make-a-killer-first-impression">a powerful first impression</a>. They are fast-paced people, making swift decisions and taking risks. They easily become impatient with others who cannot keep up with their fast pace. They are active people who do a lot of talking and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/the-big-lie-killing-your-confidence" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">appear confident</a> and dominant. Direct people express their opinions readily and make emphatic statements.



On the opposite end of that spectrum, indirect people give the impression of being quiet and reserved. They seem to be supportive and easy-going, and they tend to be security-conscious—moving slowly, meditating on their decisions and avoiding risks. They ask questions and <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/9-tips-to-become-a-better-listener">listen more than they talk</a>. They reserve their opinions and make tentative statements when they must take a stand.



When directness is combined with openness, it forms four different, recognizable and habitual behavioral styles: the socializer, the director, the thinker and the relater.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/this-is-the-ideal-workplace-for-your-personality">This Is the Ideal Workplace for Your Personality </a></blockquote>



<h2 id="h-socializer-open-and-direct">Socializer: Open and Direct</h2>



The socializer exhibits such characteristics as animation, intuitiveness and liveliness. He is an idea person—<a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/15-inspiring-quotes-about-being-a-dreamer">a dreamer</a>—but can be viewed as manipulative, impetuous and excitable when displaying behavior inappropriate to a particular situation.



The socializer is a fast-paced person with spontaneous actions and decisions. He is not concerned about facts and details, and tries to avoid them as much as possible. This may prompt him at times to exaggerate and generalize facts and figures. He thrives on involvement with people and usually works quickly and enthusiastically with others.



The socializer always seems to be chasing dreams, but he has the uncanny ability to catch others up in his dreams because of his good persuasive skills. He always seems to be seeking approval and pats on the back for his accomplishments and achievements. The socializer is a very creative person who has that dynamic ability to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/9-tips-to-make-smarter-decisions-faster">think quickly on his feet</a>.



<h2 id="h-director-direct-and-guarded">Director: Direct and Guarded</h2>



The director exhibits firmness in his relationships with others, is oriented toward productivity and goals and is concerned with bottom-line results. Closely allied to these <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/rohn-6-essential-traits-of-good-character">positive traits</a>, however, are the negative ones of stubbornness, impatience, toughness and even domineeringness.



A director tends to take control of other people and situations <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/11-genius-tips-to-be-more-decisive">and is decisive</a> in both his actions and decisions. He likes to move at an extremely fast pace and is very impatient with delays. When other people can't keep up with his speed, he views them as incompetent. The director’s motto: “I want it done right, and l want it done now.”



The director is typically <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/9-straightforward-ways-to-achieve-big-things">a high achiever </a>who exhibits very good administrative skills. He likes to do many things at the same time. He keeps adding on until the pressure builds to such a point that he turns his back and lets everything drop. Then he turns right around and starts the whole process over again.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/what-kind-of-leader-are-you-a-fixer-fighter-or-friend">What Kind of Leader Are You? A Fixer, Fighter or Friend?</a></blockquote>



<h2 id="h-thinker-indirect-and-guarded">Thinker: Indirect and Guarded</h2>



The thinker is a persistent, systematic problem-solver. But he also can be seen as aloof, picky and critical. A thinker is very security-conscious and has a strong need to be right. This leads him to an over-reliance on data collection. In his quest for data he tends to <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/6-underlying-benefits-of-asking-questions">ask many questions</a> about specific details.



The thinker works slowly and precisely by himself and prefers an intellectual work environment that is organized and structured. He tends to be skeptical and likes to see things in writing.



Although he is a great problem-solver, the thinker is a <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/how-i-stop-a-bad-decision-in-its-tracks">poor decision-maker</a>; he may keep collecting data even beyond the time when a decision is due.



<h2 id="h-relater-open-and-indirect">Relater: Open and Indirect</h2>



The relater is unassertive, warm, supportive and reliable. However, the relater sometimes is seen by others as compliant, soft-hearted and acquiescent. The relater seeks security and belongingness and, like the thinker, is slow at taking action and making decisions. <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/how-to-stop-procrastinating">This procrastination</a> stems from his desire to avoid risky and unknown situations. Before he takes action or makes a decision, he has to know how other people feel about it.



The relater is the most people-oriented of all four styles. Having close, friendly, personal and first-name relationships with others is one of the most important objectives of the relater’s style.



The relater dislikes interpersonal conflicts so much that he sometimes says what he thinks other people want to hear rather than what is really on his mind. The relater has tremendous counseling skills and is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/blog/the-3-successful-people-you-need-to-have-in-your-corner">extremely supportive of other people</a>. He also is an incredibly active listener. Because a relater listens so well to other people, when it comes his turn to talk, people usually listen. This gives him an excellent ability to gain support from others.



Learning to identify these four distinct personality types by their behavior takes time, but evaluating people’s behavior within this framework can help you better understand others and yourself.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote">Related: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/article/the-3-types-of-people-you-need-in-your-life">The 3 Types of People You Need in Your Life</a></blockquote>



Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2014 and has been updated. Photo by GaudiLab/Shutterstock

Solve the people puzzle by discovering 4 distinguishable traits.

Understand the people around you by evaluating their behavior.

The Skill You’ve Always Wanted: How to Instantly Read People

The Skill You’ve Always Wanted: How to Instantly Read People | SUCCESS

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Solve the people puzzle by discovering 4 distinguishable traits. | SUCCESS

woman exuding positivity, which is an adaptability skill

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The concept of adaptability, as discussed in my co-authored book, <a href="https://amzn.to/40fKt1m" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Platinum Rule</a>, is a two-part process, combining the skills of flexibility with versatility. 



Flexibility is <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-reasons-why-flexibility-is-key/">your willingness to adapt</a>. It’s your attitude. Versatility is your ability to adapt. It’s your aptitude. People with adaptability skills are both flexible and versatile. Of course, <a href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/people-and-organizational-performance/our-insights/future-proof-solving-the-adaptability-paradox-for-the-long-term" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">our level of adaptability</a> can be stronger in some situations than others. One reason for the gap between our ideal versus our actual level of adaptability is that it’s not an easy skill to learn, which is why it’s important to know the 10 characteristics that undermine <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/deliberate-calm/">your ability to adapt</a>—both the negative traits and the positive characteristics. We’ll start with flexibility.



<h2 id="h-the-first-half-of-adaptability-skills-flexibility">The first half of adaptability skills: Flexibility</h2>



High flexibility is characterized by these five attributes: “confident,” “tolerant,” “empathic,” “positive” and “respectful.” The first attribute, confidence, means that <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/8-daily-tips-for-building-self-confidence/">you believe in yourself</a>; you trust your own judgment and resourcefulness.



The second high-flexibility attribute is tolerance—that is, being open to accepting opinions and practices different from your own. We can easily think of people who are intolerant of others because of religious or political beliefs. Those intolerant folks may attract like-minded people, but they don’t gain the attention of a diverse audience.



Third is empathy. One root of the word empathy is pathos, which means “feeling” in Greek. Empathy is a term for deep feeling. It means, “I feel what you feel. I can put myself in your shoes.” Another word <a href="https://www.betterup.com/blog/empathy-vs-sympathy" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">with the same root</a>, sympathy, means merely acknowledging someone else’s feelings. It results in reactions such as kindness and pity, and it comes from the head. Empathy results in feeling the pain, joy and other emotions of the other person, and it comes from the heart.



The fourth high-flexibility attribute is positiveness. <a href="https://amzn.to/3zVzrTZ" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The Power of Positive Thinking</a>, authored by the late Norman Vincent Peale, D.Div., <a href="https://bigthink.com/thinking/power-of-positive-thinking-controversial/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">has remained popular</a> since its publication in 1952 because it contains such a universal truth: <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/5-realistic-tips-to-be-more-positive/">A positive attitude</a> leads to positive events in your life.



And the fifth high-flexibility characteristic is respect for others. This is the sincere desire to understand, consider and accept other people’s choices, commitments and needs in relation to yours.



The other side of the adaptability coin is the negative traits that undermine your adaptability skills. If you recognize any of these in yourself, try to improve your adaptability by <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-change-your-habits/">eliminating that negative tendency</a> from your behavior.



<h3>Characteristics of negative flexibility</h3>



<ul><li>Rigidity: “It’s my way or the highway.”</li><li>Competition with others: “I’m smarter, prettier, etc., than you.”</li><li>Dissatisfaction: “No, I don’t like it this way. Why can’t we…”</li><li>Unapproachability: “Don’t bother me unless it’s worth my time and you agree with me.”</li><li>Difficulty with ambiguity: “Let’s nail this down right now.”</li></ul>



<h2>The second half of adaptability skills: Versatility</h2>



The five high-versatility traits are “resilience,” “vision,” “attentiveness,” “competence” and “self-correction.” Resilience means knowing <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/4-ways-to-turn-obstacles-into-opportunities/">how to overcome setbacks</a>, barriers and limited resources. Mainly, it has to do with your emotional strength. Remember Raiders of the Lost Ark? Lawrence Kasdan’s hugely successful script was <a href="https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/indiana-jones-making-raiders-lost-ark/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">turned down multiple times</a> before someone was willing to take a chance. How many cold calls that turn out to be, “No thank you,” can you bounce back from? If you keep on going until you succeed, that’s resilience.



Vision is the second high-versatility trait. I think it’s easy to see why someone who has the power to imagine, to be creative and to suggest alternatives may be more influential than someone who can’t.



Next is attentiveness. That means being aware of elements in the environment. This adaptability skill can be as simple as noticing when someone is getting bored, or sensing that now is not the right time to present your ideas. It’s knowing when to act and when not to act. It means paying attention to more than your own needs.



The fourth high-versatility trait is competence. Competence involves <a href="https://successcom.wpenginepowered.com/how-to-be-a-better-thinker-innovator-and-problem-solver/">a problem-solving ability</a> that goes beyond your specialty. If you don’t know how to answer a question or fix a problem, you can find someone who does. It means having a can-do attitude and following through on it.



And the fifth high-versatility trait is self-correction. That means that once you initiate a project, you ask for feedback and place high priority on problem-solving, not on being right. Having this adaptability skill means you’re able to see when you’ve developed a nonproductive pattern in your behavior. It’s being able to say, “I think this approach isn’t working. I’d better try something different.”



<h3>Characteristics of negative versatility</h3>



<ul><li>“Subjectivity”: “This is the way it looks to ME.”</li><li>“Bluntness”: “That’s a stupid idea!”</li><li>“Resistance to change”: “This is the way we’ve always done it.”</li><li>“Single-mindedness”: “It’s my goal and nothing else matters.”</li><li>“Unreasonable risk-taking”: “I’m going to jump; won’t you come with me?”</li></ul>



Developing your adaptability skills allows you to understand how different types of people would like to be treated. It does not mean imitating the other person’s behavior. It does mean adjusting your behavior to be more in line with the other person’s preferences. The effectively adaptable person meets other people’s needs as well as their own. They know how to negotiate relationships in a way that allows everyone to win. With adaptability you are practicing the spirit of “<a href="https://iep.utm.edu/goldrule/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the golden rule</a>,” which I call “the platinum rule,” and treating the other person the way you would want to be treated.



This article was originally published in June 2008 and was updated April 2023. Photo by Look Studio/Shutterstock

Being adaptable is more important than ever in business—it can set you apart in a crowded field. These are the adaptability skills you need.

Being adaptable is more important than ever in business—it can set you apart in a crowded field. These are the adaptability skills you need. | SUCCESS

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Tony Alessandra

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